Fluid-pressure system for operating bulkhead-doors.



F. J. PIKE & H. NEVILLE.

FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR OPERATING BULKHEAD DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED 13130.7, 1912.

Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OOOO O COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON, n. C

E. J. PIKE & H. NEVILLE.

FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR OPERATING BULKHEAD DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1912.

Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 5.

COLUMBIA PLANDDRAPH C0,,WASHINGTON. D. c.

TED srAs PATENT rum,

FREDERIC JOHN PIKE, 0F BECKENHAM, AND HERBERT NEVILLE, OF FOREST HILL,

ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO J. STONE & v(n)lVlIPAhTY, LIMITED, OF DEPTFORD,ENG- LAND.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Fnnnnnio JOHN PIKE and HERBERT NnviLLE, subjects ofthe King of Great Britain, and residing, respectively, at 75 Cedarsroad,Beckenham, in the county of Kent, England, and 31 Elsinore road,Forest Hill, in the county of Kent, England, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Fluid-Pressure Systems for OperatingBulkhead-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements in and relating to fluid pressuresystems for operating bulkhead and like doors and the valves employedtherein.

Door closing and opening systems are mostly used on board ships inconnection with the doors in the bulkheads of watertight compartmentsand are generally hydraulic systems having central valve controls, asfor example at the bridge, local valve controls, as for example a manualcontrol at the door, and an automatic control which is permittedtooperate by the rising of water in a bilge tank or in the compartment.In some circumstances, as for example when the ship is lying by, or isin dock, or when a stoppage occurs in the system owing to failure of thepumps, or accumulators, or when for any other reason, the system becomesinert, that is to say when there is no pressure available for theoperation of the doors, it frequently becomes necessary to open or closea. door wholly or partially by mechanical means such as a manuallyoperated gear connected with the door. In some circumstances it may bedesired not to employ the hydraulic pressure, although available, inwhich case also the manually operated gear is used. In order to removethe water-lock, due to the presence of water in the ram cylinders, whichotherwise would prevent mechanical operation of the doors, pet-cockshave been fitted to the cylinders, which cocks could be opened to allowof escape of water from the cylinders in order to permit of the travelof the ram which moved with the mechanically operated door. Thesepet-cocks are a source of inconvenience and even of danger, as they maybe left open by careless individuals and so prevent proper operation ofthe doors Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 7, 1912.

FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR OPERATING BULKHEAD-DOORS.

Patented May 5, 1914:. Serial No. 735,441.

hydraulically when pressure has been subsequently restored to thesystem, supposing that such pressure has been cut 05 temporarily.Consequently it has been proposed to employ by-pass valves for thepurpose of short-circuiting the two ends of a door-operating cylinderwhen it is desired to manually operate the door opening and closinggear, and such by-pass valves have been manually operated both forproducing by-passing and for restoring normal conditions after suchby-passing.

The objects of the present invention are to provlde valves which permitof adjustments for producing by-passing or short circuiting for enablingseveral doors of a system, or individual doors only to be mechanicallyoperated whenever desired, the by-passing' or short circuitingconditions being obtained without prejudicially affecting the hydrauliccontrol, and without the possibility of any valve being left by anycareless person in an unsafe position, so that whenever hydrauliccontrol is restored after temporary removal, the parts will be found inproper working position in spite of the by-passing which has takenplace. An unsafe position of the valve would be one in which pressurefluid in either of the mains but particularly in the closing main, couldnot obtain access to a dOOr cylinder for the purpose of closing thecorresponding door in an emergency or otherwise. I

According to this invention provision is made for enabling by-passing orshort-circuiting of the whole of a system or of cert ain parts only,when desired or when such system becomes inert or deenergized by loss orabsence of pressure, the by-passing being accomplished in such a mannerin the case of local control valves that. whenever pressure fluid isintroduced into the closing main, or in certain circumstances into theopening main (as for example when a bilge float has operated to reversea door controlling valve) the local control or door v safety workingconditions thereat after by passing has taken place. A general bypass orshort circuit may be advantageously accomplished by an operation of adistributing or control valve belonging to the system.

This invention completely avoids the use of accessory devices which maybe left in dangerous conditions. In some cases the by-passing andrestoration to normal conditions may be accomplished automatically, inother cases the by-passing may be accomplished by manual operation andthe restoration may be accomplished automatically and in the case of thecentral control or bridge valve both the by-passing and restoration tonormal conditions may be accomplished by manual operation. In the caseof every local control or door valve, however, whenever pressure fluidis introduced into the closing main, or in certain cases, into theopening main, of the system, every door controlling valve will respondto such pressure, whether any such valve has been individually employedfor by-passing or not and no human intervention is required for makingthe valves so responsive. The system therefore under all conditionsalways stands ready for performing general closing of all doors upon theclosing main being put to pressure.

Local control valves may be arranged to have a normal position in whichthey bypass the opposite ends of a ram cylinder and the advantage of anarrangement in which the door cylinder is or may be normally by-passed,or in which the door cylinder is automatically by-passed when pressureis removed from the mains, is that the corresponding door is capableunder those conditions of being opened and closed mechanically from thedeck above or elsewhere without a man having to descend to the door andadjust the valve at the door, or find or adjust any other fitting, inorder to produce by-passing. Therefore the hand gear for raising andlowering a door may in some cases be brought into operation whether thehydraulic power be available or not.

In carrying the invention into practice and when it is desired to obtainby-passing automatically upon the failure or shutting off of thepressure fluid supply there may be combined with the controlling valvearrangements certain spring contrivances known as centering orequilibrating springs. These contrivances consist of two springsarranged to act equally and oppositely upon a valve when the latter isin the central or other desired position, so that unless the valve isforcibly held in another position by the fluid pressure, the springsautomatically shift the valve into the position in which the efforts ofthe springs balance or nullify one another as will be hereinafterdescribed.

In order to enable this invention to be readily understood reference ismade to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a general view ofa system comprising controlling valves adapted for bringing aboutshort-circuit connections. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are central verticalsections of modified constructions of the improved door controllingvalves and; Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections of furthermodifications.

In Fig. 1, a is the opening main which is normally under pressure, andZ) is the closing main which is normally open to exhaust. c is the pumpwith delivery (Z for supplying pressure fluid to the system and c is theexhaust pipe leading to a suitable tank f. These are well known parts ofa so-ealled two-main system in which pressure fluid is admitted to themain a for driving all of the rams 7c in one direction for opening alldoors and such fluid is cut off from the main a and admitted to the mainZ) for driving the rams 7c in the opposite direction for closing alldoors.

A general description will now be given of the mode of bypassing afterwhich the particular arrangements and constructions will be described.Reference will be made first to the so-called bridge control valve whichis a main control or distributing valve 9 and in the example shown is ofthe slide valve variety, and is adapted to connect either the main awith the pressure space in the valve chest and the main 6 with theexhaust e, or the main 6 with the pressure space in the chest and themain a with the exhaust 0. Now this bridge control valve may be formedwith a port or ports, or with a cavity 72, as shown, in such a positionor of such a shape or length that, by moving the valve 9 to an abnormalposition, which may be for example a mid-position as shown in Fig. 1,the normal pressure main c and exhaust main Z) are bypassed orshort-circuited, which means that they are, as shown, directly connectedthrough the cavity h, thereby permitting the movement of anydoor-operating ram 711' to displace water from one end of its cylinder jinto one main, an amount of water equal to that so displaced flowingthrough the bypass into the other main and the same amount flowing fromthe latter main into the opposite end of the door cylinder j, or to thetank f. In the case of a valve 9 which is operated by a lever moved toone extreme position for opening all doors, and to another tremeposition for closing all doors, the midposition for by-passing the mainsis advantageously adopted as shown in Fig. 1, as such position can berecognized instantly.

Door controlling valves Z which are operated for closing or openingrespective doors on may also be formed with a port. or ports or cavity ain such a position or of such a shape that by moving the valve'to acertain position, such as the mid-position as shown in Fig. 1, the twoends of the cylinder j are by-passed or placed in direct communicationby the pipes 0 p and cavity 1, so that the door can be readily moved bymechanical means indicated generally and by way of example by the bevelwheels q and shaft 1", the wheels q gearing the shaft 1* with the shafts of the pinion t which meshes with the rack u on the door at, the shaft8 being usually hydraulically driven by the rack '0 on the ram isgearing with a pinion w. The two ends of the cylinder 9' may, ashereinafter described, be placed in communication simultaneously withthe pressure main a, or with the exhaust main 6, but the resultanteifect is the same in all cases, as in any event the two ends of thecylinder when short-circuited are under the same pressure and the fluidwill be free to escape from one end of the cylinder j and to enter theother, as the door m and ram is are moved by the hand gear 9.

'When the by-passing is efiected by the moving of a valve to amid-position, springs or the equivalent hereinafter described may be soarranged as to operate upon the valve and automatically move it tomid-position whenever the pressure in the system falls sufliciently orfails.

As already stated the bridge-control valve chosen for illustrating theinvention is of the slide valve type and is shown in connection with areversible two-main system. Now by lengthening the cavity h of the valve9 as stated, the cavity extends over all three ports :22 y and z in theslidevalve seating, and thereby connects the normal pressure main a,called the opening main, with the normal exhaust main 6, called theclosing main, and both of these mains a and Z) with the port orconnection y lead ing to the exhaust 6. Thus the mains a and Z) areby-passed or short-circuited in the mid-position of this valve 9 and aremoreover connected with the exhaust 6, so that any change in volume ofliquid, or of capacity of the system due to movement of the rams, isprovided for. lVhen the valve 9 is moved to one extreme position or theother, the valve cavity it merely connects one main a or b with theexhaust e in the ordinary way, the other main Z) or a. having its porta; or 2 uncovered by the valve 9 for the entry into such main ofpressure fluid from the valve chest 1 as hereinbefore stated. If theslide or other valve is of the type operated by a double acting ram, orby two oppositely working rams 2 and 3, controlled by a smallhand-operated slide valve l capaable of connecting either of the sidesof the ram, or either of the ram cylinders 5 or 6, with a source ofpressure such as the chest 1 and the other with the exhaust e, thecavity of this valve 4 also may be elongated, as

shown, so as to cover all three ports 7 8, 9

simultaneously, the port 7 being connected with the cylinder 5, the port8 with the exhaust e and the port 9 with the cylinder 6. Here again, asthe middle port in the seating is the exhaust port, any pressure on thetwo sides of the ram, or on the two rams 2, 3 is equalized when thevalve 4: is in the mid-position and the ram cylinders being bothconnected with the exhaust as well as with one another no difiiculty canarise due to change in capacity of the ram cylinders. Springs 10 may bearranged in the ram cylinders 5, 6 and may be restrained, as described alittle later, so as to only move the main valve 9 to mid-position whenthe pressures upon the two rams 2 and 3, or ram areas, are equalized inthis manner; also if the pressure in the system fails, the springs 10will automatically move the main valve 9 to a middle, or by-passingposition,.as pres sure is no longer available for pressing the ram 2, orthe ram 3, for holding the valve 9 in one extreme position or the other.For example the rams 2, 3 may be hollow and the springs 10 may beinclosed by open ended casings 11 having one end inserted loosely intothe hollows of the rams 2, 3 and the other end slidable in sockets 12 inthe ram cylinders 5 and 6, in which sockets the springs are seated. Theloose fitting of the casings 11 permits, or suitable ports permit, ofthe entry and exit of pressure fluid to and from the interior of thehollow spaces of the rams 2 and 3. If the hand valve or pilot valve 4 ismoved to one extreme position or the other by its lever 13, one or otherof the ram cylinders 5, 6 is put to pressure and the other to exhaust,and one or other of the rams 2, 3 will move the main slide-valve g to aposition for connecting one or other of the mains a or Z) with thesource of pressure.

When the hand valve l is moved to the mid-position, the pressure in theram cylinders 5 and 6 are equalized and the rams, being no longerpressed hydraulically, permit the oppositely acting or equilibratingsprings 10 to bring the main valve 9 to the midposition in which bothmains a and 7) are directly connected or bypassed, so that it willtherefore be possible to move any of the doors m by a mechanical gear 9,as the pressure on opposite sides of the door operating ram is will beequal or balanced, providing one end of the ram cylinder 7' is incommunication through the valve Z with one main and the opposite end isin communication with the other main as will be the case if the valve Zis in one or other of its extreme positions. 7

In systems comprising door controlling valves of the slide-valve type,as for example the slide-valve described in the specifications belongingto our previous applications which type of valve has been selected forillustration in. the accompanying drawings, it is possible to modifysuch valves so that each one will allow of the short-circuiting orby-passing of the two ends of the corresponding rain cylinders. Forexample and as hereinbefore stated, the slide valves Z may be formedwith elongated cavities or ports 1% and they may have means hereinafterdescribed for moving them auton'latically, or otherwise, to themid-position in which the two ends of the rain cylinder j are connecteddirectly through the valve cavity a, so that such ends will be by-passedby the cavity a.

In the case of a througlrported doublefaced slide valve Z, such as isshown in Fig. 2, this valve may normally rest in the lowest position inwhich the through port 18 is opposite an elongated inlet port 19connnunieating with the branch a of the opening main (4 on one side andopposite a port 20 communicating with the pipe 0 leading to the openingend of the corresponding dooroperating cylinder j on the other side. Thethrough port 18 may remain in connection with the branch 0 of theopening main (Z even when the valve is moved to a position, as forexample the mid-position shown in Fig. 2, in which the cavity it coversthe two ports 20 and :2t for by-i lasfng the two ends of the cylinder.It is of no consequence whether or not the main (4 is under pressure,because if the two ends of the cylinder are by-passed as described, thepressures in the pipes 0 and 7) will be equalized in either case. If itbe preferred, however, to shut oil the pressure of the opening main (6in the by-passing position of the valve Z, the inlet passage 22 from theopening main may be bifurcated as at 23 in Fig. 1, and the branchpassages have respective ports in the rear seating which are situatedopposite the positions occupied by the through port 18 in respectiveextreme positions of the valve Z, to which positions the valve is movedfor connecting the opening and closing ends of the door cylinderrespectively with the passage Thus when the valve is moved to themid-position shown, the through port- 18 thereof is blanked at the rearby the intermediate face ying between the two ports of the bifurcatedinlet passage 22 and connmr nication with the opening main 0 is shutolf.

If desired. the inlet port need not be elongated as at 19, Fig. 2, andthe inlet passage 22 need not be bifurcated as at 23 in 1. as the valveZ may be formed with two through ports or passages 24. 25 as shown in lThe port 24- so disposed that in the lowest position of the valve Z itatfords con'nm'inication between the inlet passage and the door openingport 20. and the port is so disposed that, in the highest position ofthe valve Z, it affords communication between the inlet passage :22 andthe door closving port 21, the ports 20 and 21 having their positionsinterchanged as compared with the corresponding ports in Figs. 1 and 2.In the mid-position of this valve, the inlet port 22 would be covered bythe blank portion of the rear face of the valve Z lying between the twothrough ports 24 and 25 referred to and the ends of the cylinder wouldbe by-passed by the cavity a in the valve, which cavity is connected forexample by a passage 26 with the space 27 in the valve casing which isnormally an exhaust space connected by the branch Z) with the closingmain Z) which is norn'ially open to exhaust.

From the above description it will be ap parent that the bypassing willbe equally effective supposing that both ends of the ram cylinder beconnected together and with the normal exhaust main 6, instead of withthe normal pressure main a as in F i g. 2, and this may be doneadvantageously in some cases. liv passing on to the pressure main may beadvantageous in some cases, as for example, when the door cylinders orrams are slightly differential.

If door controlling valves of the type above referred to are used inconnection with a, main by-passing device also of the kind abovedescribed, it follows that if the door valve be left in either of theextreme positions, the corresponding ram cylinder will be by-passedthrough the main valve 9 when the latter is in mid-position, but if thedoor valve Z be left in mid-position the said cylinder will be by-passedby its own door valve.

In the case of vertical doors which might creep down and close undertheir own gravity when by-passing or short-circuiting of the cylinder orcylinders is the normal condition, such creeping or self-closing may beavoided by the application of suitable frictional devices or brakes, orby increasing the tightness of glands or packings. lVhere hand operatedgears g are always in mesh with devices on the door, however, suchcreeping or self-closing is not likely to take place. (lr with a valveor valves as shown in Fig. 2 and slightly differential door operatingrams the effective area or load of the latter will act so as to balancethe door and likewise prevent creeping down or self-closing of the door.

In cases where a door valve is normally left in, or re'urned to, amid-position so as to prevent pressure fluid in the opening main 0 fromopening the corresponding door, such a valve will be norn'ially in aposition for lay-passing or short-circuiting its (100101) cratingcylinder or cylinders as will be readil v understood. Valves which aremoved one way or the other by hydraulic pressure may be fitted withso-called equilibrating springs operating upon the hand levers 270 orthe like, so that, upon failure of the hydraulic pressure in the openingmain a (or in some cases in the closing main) such springs will move thevalves to mid-position for by-passing as described. For example theequilibrating springs 28 may be arranged as will now be described withreference to Fig. 4 and may be inclosed in respective casings 29 and beadapted to press stops or plungers 30, 31 out of such casings and intoengagement with respective sides of the valve operating lever 2. 0. Thevalve Z is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and is provided with a ram 32which is normally subjected to pressure of fluid in the opening main aand branch a but which is restrained from depressing the long arm of thedouble armed lever 270 by a catch device 33 which is capable of beingreleased by the rising of the bilge float. Under normal conditions, thelever 270 may be operated by hand to bring the valve Z to the lowestposition in which the through port 18 communicates between the port 20and one of the branches of the passage 22 which is bifurcated at 23, sothat pressure fluid from the opening main has access to the opening endof the door cylinder j through the pipe 0, and exhaust takes place fromthe closing end of the cylinder y through pipe 79 port 21, port 34 invalve Z, and branch Z) to main 2'). Or the valve may be raised tomid-position in which the cavity n bypasses the two ends of the cylinderj through the pipes 0 and 2). Or the valve may be raised to the highestpo sition in which the port 20 is uncovered to the interior of the valvechest and exhausts through 6 while the through port 18 places thepassages 22, 23 in communicationwith the port 21 so that pressure fluidhas access to the closing end of the cylinder j through the pipe p. backface of the valve, the latter will stay in whatever position it is movedto if the springs 28 be held out of operation.

Now the ram device 32 is fitted with a fork having two prongs 36 and 37,each of which has a laterally projecting part or end 38 and 39respectively taking under respective arms of the lever 270. The ends 38,39 bear, moreover, upon respective spring plungers 30, 31 the springs 28of which force the plungers against stops provided by V the flanges onthe upper ends of the casings, in which position the plungers balancethe two arms of the lever 270 in mid-position when the action of theplungers is not opposed by the effort of the ram 32 due to pressureinthe branch a, or by manual effort exerted on the long arm of the lever270, or by the eflort of the valve stem 40 due to the admission ofpressure fluid to the main Z) and branch Z) when the mains are reversed.The plungers and 31 are, however, normally depressed against the actionof their springs by the ram 32 and fork 35,

Owing to the pressure on the which latter are caused to descend belowthe position shown until the projection 41 on the fork engages the catch33, which is simply a segmented projection on the hub of the bilge floatlever 33, the action of which latter is readily seen by reference toFig. 1, whereupon the ram 32 is arrested, so that normally the ram 32 isin this position in which it holds the plungers 30 and 31 down and awayfrom the lever 270. The plunger 30 is shown pressing directly againstthe foot 42 of the valve stem with which the short arm of the lever 270is suitably connected and this plunger 30 may be formed with a shoulder43 which is engaged by the end 38 of the prong 36, as for example byperforating the end 38 so as to pass over the reduced end of the plunger30 and rest upon the shoulder 43. The plunger 31 may press against theimperforate end 39 of the prong 37 which lies beneath a depending lug orpropection 4C4E on the long arm of the lever. Vith this arrangement andwith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, the valve Z can belowered against the action of only one of the springs 28, namely thatone beneath the plunger 30. The prong 3'? when it descends below thenormal position is adapted to depress the long arm of the lever 270 andfor this purpose the long arm may pass through a slot in the prong 37,the edge 45 bounding the top of the slot striking the lever arm (whenthe ram is released and descends) and carrying with it the fork 35. Theslot is long enough to permit of freely manually operating the lever 270in relation to the prong 37, when the latter is in the normal positionfor giving the various valve positions for openmg the door. or forclosing the door, or for by-passing the two ends of the door cylinder asabove described. If the bilge float should rise and cause the catch 33to turn and release the ram 32, the latter descends and depresses thespring plungers 30, 31 still further and the edge 15 on the prongengages the long arm of the lever 270 and depresses it, thereby raisingthe valve Z to door closing position, providing that the door has notbeen closed by hand already.

Whenever reversal of the mains puts the door closing main 6 and branchI) under pressure and the door opening main a and branch at to exhaustthe pressure upon the ram 32 is removed and the ram no longer depressesthe fork 35 and spring plungers 30 and 31. The valve Zhowever isdepressed, in known manner, to the position for closing the door, bypressure fluid entering at Z), the stem 40 olfering an elfective areafor the hydraulic pressure, consequently the foot 42 on the stem 40directly depresses the plunger 30. If, now, a person desires to escapefrom the compartment in which he maybe imprisoned, he lowers the longarm of the lever 270, thereby reversing the valve Z,

whereby the pressure fluid passes from the top of the valve chamberaround the valve and enters the port 20 and opening pipe 0 so that thedoor is opened and allows the escape of a person. Immediately suchperson releases the lever 270, the pressure fluid entering at Z) willdepress the valve Z into the position for door-closing with the closingmain under pressure. If desired the two prongs of the plunger may bemade alike, that it to say, they may both be like prong 37 with theimpertorated bent end 39. In this case the descent of the valve woulddepress hoth spring plungers.

It pressure he cut off from the mains a and Z), the ram 32 and the valvestem 40 will both be idle or inert and the spring plungers 30, 81 willbe free to rise under the action of their springs. Suppose that thevalve Z is in its lowest position with the long arm of the lever 270raised, as will usually be the case, then the plunger 80 in risingraises the valve Z and the long arm of the lever 270 is correspondinglydepressed until the lug 44L strikes the end 39 of the prong 37 againstwhich the plunger 31 is pressing. It will thus be seen that the lever270 comes to rest in an intermediate position determined by thepositions in which the spring plungers are stopped and the cavity 11,covers the ports 20 and 21 and by-passes the two ends of the doorcylinder. At any time the restoration of pressure to the opening mainwill re-set the parts, so that they will re assume their normalfunctions, without any manual adjustment being required for thispurpose. Also at any time and in any condition of the valve Z theadmission of pressure to the main 6 and branch 6 insures the descent ofthe valve Z to the position for door closing with the main 6 underpressure. If when pressure is restored to the opening main (1. after areversal of the mains,

it is desired to insure that a valve Z which has been in door closingposition shall remain in that position so as to open the correspondingdoor, it may be advisable to pro vide retarding means for delaying theoper ation of the equilibrating springs 28 in order to prevent thelatter from moving the valve Z to the by-passing position during theshort interval which may elapse between the removal of pressure from theclosing main 6 and the restoration of such pressure to the opening maina. Such retarding means may conveniently take the form of dash pot devices or brakes applied to the two spring plungers 30, 31 or the outletfrom the valve chest 27 to the branch Z of the closing main may berestricted as for example by a ported diaphragm for the purpose ofdelaying the movement of the valve Z under the action of. the springs 28so as to give full opportunity for the restoration of pressure to themain a before the valve can reach the lay-passing position.

When the bilge float control is not required the catch 33 is notpresent. Norma lly, therefore, the ram 32 of such an arrangement, beingfree to descend under pres sure, has the function of merely depressingthe spring plungers 30 and 31, so that they are held out of operationand do not interfere with the ordinary working of the valve. As soon,however, as pressure is cut ofl' from the mains, the plungers 80 and arefree to lift the tork device and to move the lever 270 into mid-positionand maintain it there until pressure conditions are restored to themains. In this arrangement there need be only one plunger 30 or 31, or asingle spring or spring plunger, arranged directly beneath the ram 32,as it is only necessary to raise the fork device and, while one arm ofthe lever is raised by the corresponding bent end 39, the other arm ofthe lever will approach the other bent end 38, and upon engaging thesame, the lever 270 and valve Z will be arrested in the intermediate orbypassing position.

In Fig. 1 a single spring plunger 31 is shown pressing upwardly againstthe long arm of the lever 270. This plunger 31 serves to normallymaintain the valve Z in the midpcsition for by-passing, for itconstantly presses the long arm against the ram 3 which is arrested bythe catch 83 in such a position as to act as a stop for the lever 270 inthe intermediate position of the latter. It will he understood that withthe arrangement shown in Fig. l the lever may be open a'ted under normalconditions to raise the valve Z for closing the door wholly orpartially, or to lower the valve Z for opening the door. and thatimmediately upon release of the lever 270 the ram 32 or plunger 31 willreturn the lever to the by-1'iassing position. The door is not affectedby the by-passiug and will remain in the position to which it has beenmoved as there is no hydraulic pres sure tending to move it up or down.A second spring plunger similar to the plunger 31 may be arrangedbeneath the valve stem 4-0, as indicated by the dotted lines, in whichcase the springs will return the valve to mid-position under allconditions except when pressure is on from the bridge to close, or whenpressure is in the opening main and the plunger is released.

It may be arranged for a door-controlling valve to be maintained byfluid pressure in the opening main normally in a position for the doorto be opened by the pressure fluid in that main. In this modification.which is illustrated in Fig. there may be one ram 46 which is normallyraised by pressure fluid admitted at a? from the main (1,. and the bilgefloat catch 33 normally restrains the ram 32, which latter is of largerarea than the ram 46 and is likewise acted upon by the pressure in theopening main admitted through the branch a as before. Consequently, thisram 32, it released by the operation of the bilge float, overcomes theother ram 46 and reverses the valve Z. lVith the ram 32 may be combineda spring 28 for moving the lever 270 to the intermediate position whenpressure in the open ing main is cut off. F or example the ram 32 may beformed with a hollow end to re ceive the spring 28 and plunger 31 andthe hollow end may be formed or fitted with a shoulder or flange 47which is engaged by a flange 48 on the plunger 31, the action of thespring being limited say by the flange 48 abutting against the flange47. The ram 32 is suitably prevented from rising above the position seenin Fig. 5. Normally the ram 46 maintains the lever and valve Z in theposition shown for keeping the door open and the spring 28 is compressedby the forcing of the plunger 31 into the hollow end of the ram Ifpressure be cut oil from the mains, the ram 46 will no longer press thelong arm oi. the lever 2'70 upward and the spring 28 will expand andforce the plunger -1 downward until the plunger 31 is arrested by theflange 47. Thus the plun ger 31 moves the lever 270 and valve Z toby-passing position whenever pressure is cut oil from the mains. Ifdesired, a. cook 50 which may be a two-way cock, may be fitted on thebranch o for the purpose of admitting pressure to the ram 46 whendesired but when it is preferred to put the ram 46 out of action, thecock 50 may be turned to shut off the pressure in the branch (1 and ifdesired to exhaust the cylinder of the ram 46 through a pipe 6.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the spring 28 and plunger 31 arecombined with the smaller ram 46 and the casing containing the spring 28and plunger 31 and formed with the flange 47 for limiting the movementof the plunger 31 under the action of the spring is fixed to the chamberof the ram 46. A second spring plunger 31 acted upon by a spring 28 isarranged beneath the valve stem or rod 40. In this arrangement the valvefor admitting pressure to the chamber of the ram 46 may be a lift valve51 which can be held open by pulling down the long arm 52 of the valvelever and hocking the chain to a suitable flX- ture. In order to shutoil pressure fluid from the ram 46 the latter is lowered and the chain53 is released whereupon the valve 51 seats itself under the pressure ofthe fluid admitted to the chamber 54 from the opening main. In thisarrangement the larger ram 32 is normally restrained by the catch 33 andthe long arm of the lever 270 is normally raised by the ram 46 forcingthe plunger 31 upward. If pressure fluid be cut oil from the ram 46,then the spring 28 forces the valve stem 40 upward. until the efforts ofthe two springs 28 and 28 balance, which conveniently takes place whenthe lever 270 is horizontal and the valve is in the mid-position forby-passing. Supposing that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6and that the bilge float operates to release the catch 33 and permit theram 32 to reverse the valve Z, the plunger 31 will be fully depressedand the spring 28 compressed, whereas the plunger 31 will rise under theaction of its spring 28 and will follow the valve stem 40. If new thepressure is cut oil from the mains altogether the ram 32 beingdeenergized will allow the spring 28 to force the plunger 31 and thelong arm of the lever 270 upward until the efforts of the two springs28, 28 balance one another, as before and the valve is then in themid-position for by-passing as will now be readily understood.

hat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Control valvearrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systems comprising a valvecasing, a valve movable therein, said casing and valve being constructedand arranged so that extreme positions of said valve correspondrespectively with dooropening and door-closing operations and anintermediate position corresponds with bypassing or short circuitconditions of the motive power door-operating means, a nor mal pressurefluid inlet connection on the valve casing and a normal pressure fluidoutlet connection on said casing said outlet connection and said valvemember being so relatively disposed that if pressure fluid be admittedto said outlet connection said valve member will be automaticallyresponsive in any position to said change of fluid pressure admission inorder to produce door-closing conditions.

2. A fluid pressure system for opening and closing doors comprising incombination a central station or bridge valve, normal pressure main andnormal exhaust main connections therewith. said valve being adapted toshort circuit such mains as well as to distribute pressure fluid toeither. and local control valves between said mains and respectivemotive power door-operating means said valve being adapted to shortcircuit said motive power means in addition to distributing pressurefluid thereto.

3. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-ope 'ating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to short circuit two pipe connectionsto motive power means in addition to being capable of distributingpressure fluid to either, means constantly active upon said valve memberand tending to move same to a position corresponding with short circuitconditions, and

an etlectiv rain area operative upon said valve in opposition to saidmeans and adapted with normal. pressure to produce an effort greaterthan that produced by said means substantially as set forth.

4. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve casing main pressure and main exhaust connectionsthereon and a valve member adapted to distribute pressure fluid toeither one of two ports leading to motive power door-operating means andto exhaust the other, said valve member being further adapted toSlll'llllttlllGOUSly connect both of said ports with one of said mainconnections substantially as set forth.

Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve chest main pressure and main exhaust connectionsthereon, and a slide valve so ported that in extreme positions it isadapted to distribute pressure fluid to either one of two ports leadingto motive power door-operating means and to exhaust the other but in anintermediate position it is adapted to by-pass said two ports and at thesame time to place them both in com munication with one of said mainconnections substantially as set forth.

(5. Control valve arrangements for fluid pressiu-e door-operatingsystems comprising a valve member adapted to be moved to a mid-positionto short circuit two pipe connections to motive power means in additionto being 'apable of distributing pressure fluid to an appropriate one ofsaid connections when said valve is in either of its eX- tremepositions, means constantly active upon said valve member and tending tomove same to the midposition and hydrostatic means adapted to move saidvalve member to either of the extreme positions in spite of the actionof said means substantially as set forth.

7. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to be moved to a n'iid-position toshort circuit two ports communicating with motive power means in addition to being capable of distributing pressure fluid to an appropriateone of said ports when said valve is in either of its extreme positions.a spring constantly active upon said valve member in the direction ofthe mid-position. a stop adapted to arrest the action of said springwhen said valve is in the mid position and a ram. adapted when effectiveto be operative upon said valve in opposition to said sprii'ig and toovercome the latter substantially as set forth.

8. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to be moved to an intermediateposition. to short circuit two ports connnunicating with motive powermeans in addition to being capable of distributing pressure fluid to anappropriate one of said ports when said valve member is in either of itsextreme positions, two springs constantly active upon said valve memberin opposite directions and adapted by themselves to shift said valvemember to said intermediate position and to maintain it in said positionand hydrostatic means adapted normally to hold said valve member in anextreme position against the action of one of said springs substantiallyas set forth.

9. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to be moved to a position for shortcircuit-ing two ports communicating with motive power means in additionto being capable of movement to positions for distributing pressurefluid to an appropriate one of said ports, a spring adapted to operateupon said valve member and shift same to the short circuiting position,and a single acting ram adapted when effective to restrain the action ofsaid spring said ram being in connection with the normal pressure mainof a system substantially as set forth.

10. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to be moved to a position for shortcircuiting two ports communicating with motive power means in additionto being capable of movement to positions for distributing pressurefluid to an appropriate one of said ports, a ram adapted to operate saidvalve in one direction, a spring device constantly opposing said "am andadapted to produce movement of said valve whenever said ram isdeenergized and a releasable stop normally limiting the operativemovement of said ram substantially as set forth.

11. Control valve arrangement for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a valve member adapted to be moved to a position. for shortcircuiting two ports communicating with motive power means in additionto being capable of movement to positions for distributing pressurefluid to an appropriate one of said ports, hydrostatic means adapted tooperate upon said valve to shift same to one or other of thedistributing positions and elastic means adapted to operate upon saidvalve to shift same to bypassing position at such times as said hydrostatic means are not operative upon said valve substantially as setforth.

12. Control valve device for fluid pressure door-operating systemscomprising a slide valve so ported that in one or other eX- tremeposition it distributes fluid pressure to either one of two portscommunicating with motive power means and in an intermediate positionitby-passes these two ports, covering means operative upon the back ofsaid valve the normal pressure admission taking place by way of saidcovering means and a through port in said slide valve, and a manualcontrol operative upon said valve.

13. Control valve device for fluid pressure door-operating meanscomprising a slide valve so ported that in one or other extreme positionit distributes fluid pressure to either one of two ports communicatingwith motive power means and in an intermediate position it by-passesthese two ports, covering means operative upon the back of said valvethe normal pressure admission taking place by way of said covering meansand a through port in said slide valve, an unbalanced valve rodconnected with slide valve, and operating means connected with said rod.

14:- Control device for fluid pressure door operating systems comprisinga balanced slide valve capable of producing short circuit conditions inaddition to working conditions in either direction in door-operatingmotive power means, manual control means operatively connected with saidvalve, and spring control means normally maintaining said valve inshort-circuiting position.

15. Control device for fluid pressure dooroperating systems comprising abalanced slide valve capable of producing short circuit conditions inaddition to working conditions in either direction in door-operatingmotive power means, manual control means operatively connected with saidvalve, spring control means normally maintaining said valve inshort-circuiting position, and I automatic hydrostatic means adapted tobe operative upon said valve when certain conditions arise to shift saidvalve to a distributing position substantially as set forth.

FREDERIC JOHN PIKE. HERBERT NEVILLE.

Witnesses:

HERBERT D. JAMEsoN, O. J. WORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner or Patents, Washington, D. C,

